Zheng Qinwen’s fourth round match against Marta Kostyuk at the Indian Wells Open didn’t go as smoothly as expected on Wednesday. During the warm-up, Kostyuk was practicing her volleys, but Zheng suddenly stopped and wanted to start serving, even though there was still time left. This surprised Kostyuk, leaving her confused and a bit rattled. In the end, Kostyuk lost the match with a score of 3-6, 2-6.
The strange warm-up moment happened with one minute and 40 seconds still on the clock. Zheng began sending lob shots to Kostyuk, but then abruptly decided to start serving instead. Kostyuk didn’t understand what was happening and asked the chair umpire for help. The umpire reset the warm-up clock and told Zheng to finish warming up.
Tennis legend Boris Becker was taken aback by the incident and simply tweeted, “What ?!?” in response to the news.
Now, Zheng is set to play against Iga Swiatek in the quarter-finals. Swiatek is a two-time champion at Indian Wells and has been performing very well this tournament. She has only lost six games so far, beating tough players like Caroline Garcia, Dayana Yastremska, and Karolina Muchova.
Zheng is excited about reaching her first quarter-final this year. She hasn’t lost a single set during the tournament, having defeated Victoria Azarenka, Lulu Sun, and now Kostyuk. A big reason for her great performance is the return of her coach, Pere Riba, who just had hip surgery in November. He couldn’t train with her during recovery, but he was there when she won gold at the Paris Olympics last year and even beat Swiatek in the semi-finals back then. However, Swiatek still has a strong advantage over Zheng, leading their head-to-head record 6-1.
Tag: thellv.news
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Zheng Qinwen’s Bizarre Warm-Up Stunner at Indian Wells Open!
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Supreme Court to Decide on Debarring Candidates with Criminal Charges
The Supreme Court will hear an important case on March 18 about whether candidates with serious criminal charges should be allowed to run in elections. A group of judges, Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh, will look into this issue.
Last September, the Supreme Court asked the government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) to respond to a request from lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. This request wants to stop candidates who have serious criminal charges against them from participating in elections.
The lawyer’s plea claims that despite past recommendations from the Law Commission of India and previous court orders, the government and ECI have not taken any action. The plea highlights that out of 539 people who won in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, about 233, which is 43%, have declared they are facing criminal cases.
According to a report from the NGO Association for Democratic Reforms, the number of Members of Parliament (MPs) with serious criminal cases has increased by 109% since 2009. In fact, one MP has declared 204 criminal cases against himself, including serious charges like homicide and robbery.
The plea argues that political parties are competing to choose candidates with criminal records to stay in power. This criminalization of politics harms the public, yet parties continue to nominate candidates with serious criminal backgrounds. -
High Court Questions FIR Status in Police Custody Death Case
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court is asking why a police report (FIR) wasn’t filed after finding that five police officers were responsible for the death of a man involved in a Badlapur sexual assault case. The Maharashtra government stated they are already looking into the incident as an accidental death.
A group of judges, Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice Neela Gokhale, held a meeting on Thursday to discuss if an FIR should be filed after a report from a magistrate blamed the five officers for the man’s death while he was in custody.
The man, Akshay Shinde, was accused of sexually assaulting two young girls in a school where he worked. He was arrested in August 2024 and died during what police called a shootout. This happened on September 23, 2024, while he was being taken from Taloja prison for questioning.
Police say he grabbed an officer’s gun and shot at them, which led to them firing back. A legal inquiry was conducted because of Shinde’s death in police custody. The magistrate’s report suggested that Shinde’s father’s claims of a fake encounter might be true, putting doubt on the officers’ self-defense claims.
Senior lawyer Amit Desai, representing the state, explained that they have already opened an accidental death report and the Crime Investigation Department (CID) is looking into Shinde’s death.
The judges questioned if an investigation can only be based on an accidental death report. They argued that if it becomes clear that the death was not accidental but was caused by someone, an FIR should be filed.
Desai responded that after the CID finishes its work, they will submit a final report that might either close the case or push for charges against someone.
Another lawyer appointed by the court emphasized that since the magistrate said it was an unnatural death, an FIR should be registered.
The police claim that Shinde took a gun during transport and opened fire, leading to him being shot by senior inspector Sanjay Shinde along with other officers present. He was being questioned in connection with a case his wife filed against him.
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Market Dips but Stocks Soar: Find Out the Top Gainers Today!
NEW DELHI: Many stocks saw big jumps of 5% or more on Thursday, even though the stock market closed lower. The Sensex, which is a big measure of the market, dropped by 200.85 points to end at 73,828.91. Some of the top winners in the market today were Ontic Finserve, Soni Medicare, and Jupiter Infomed, all rising by 10%. Others like GRP Ltd, Indo Euro Ind, and Quantum Digital also had gains close to 10%.
In the Nifty 50 index, which includes 50 of India’s main companies, stocks like BEL (up 1.18%), SBI (up 0.67%), and NTPC (up 0.54%) were among the few to rise. The Nifty 50 ended 73.3 points lower at 22,397.2. Out of the 50 companies in the Nifty, 15 saw their prices go up, while 35 went down. -
Akhilesh Yadav: Yogi Adityanath’s Governance Under Fire Ahead of Holi
Akhilesh Yadav, the leader of the Samajwadi Party, criticized Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, calling him a “Tees Maar Khan,” which means someone who shows off but doesn’t deliver results. Yadav made this comment after it was reported that some mosques were covered with tarpaulin sheets before the Holi festival. The government said this was to keep everyone safe and to maintain peace during the celebrations.
Yadav said it is important for people from all backgrounds to celebrate festivals like Holi together because it brings joy and happiness. He wished everyone a happy Holi and emphasized that traditions connecting various communities should remain strong.
Yadav also pointed out that the Chief Minister seems to care too much about the number 30, referencing a recent incident where 30 people died and economic activities were reported to be worth Rs 30 crore. He said the Chief Minister should explain these numbers.
On the topic of demolitions happening in the state, Yadav mentioned that the Supreme Court has given guidance, but the government is not following it. He hopes the court will ensure fairness for everyone. Yadav believes many people are concerned that the Constitution is not safe under the BJP government.
He also predicts that the BJP will face a big loss in the 2027 state elections. He said that the Chief Minister’s claim that young people found jobs simply by riding their bikes is unrealistic and directly questioned the truth behind BJP’s promises. He believes the BJP also lost in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and will do even worse in 2027. -
Starlink’s Surprising Partnerships: Political Alliances or Business Moves
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised concerns about the recent partnerships between Elon Musk’s Starlink and India’s major telecom firms, Jio and Airtel. He claimed that these deals were arranged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain a good relationship with former US President Donald Trump during ongoing global trade disputes.
Ramesh questioned how Jio and Airtel could suddenly support Starlink after previously opposing its entry into India. He pointed out that just 12 hours after announcing the partnership, these companies embraced a business they had once fought against.
In an interview, Ramesh said, “These companies opposed Starlink because it wanted special radio waves (spectrum) to operate, which goes against the Indian government’s auction policies since 2014.”
He further accused the Prime Minister of using Starlink’s deals to curry favor with Trump and insisted that there must be some agreement involved, although details are unclear. He expressed concern that this move was all about gaining friendship with Trump through Musk.
Shiv Sena leader Shaina NC responded to the accusations by calling out the Congress party for spreading conspiracy theories. She argued that Jio and Airtel made their own choices to partner with Starlink and emphasized that there’s no threat to India’s national security, urging Ramesh to stop promoting these ideas.
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Explore Jagan Mohan Reddy’s Lavish Sea Mansion and Leadership Challenges
Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy, who leads the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP), has captured attention online for his luxurious mansion by the sea in Visakhapatnam. The stunning property, located in Rushikonda, covers 10 acres and has four large buildings surrounded by beautiful gardens.
A recent video from the news agency ANI showcased the inside of the mansion, while drone footage showed how big it is near the coastline. The landscaping around the house adds to its beauty.
At a recent event celebrating the founding of YSRCP, Jagan Mohan Reddy spoke about the party’s mission to represent those who are not heard. He reminded everyone that the YSRCP was formed from struggles and has a history of fighting for fairness. Jagan also said that in the 15 years of YSRCP’s existence, the party spent 10 years in the opposition but always stood by the people.
However, a former member of YSRCP, V Vijayasai Reddy, has raised concerns about Jagan’s leadership. He warned that Jagan’s future depends on breaking away from a small group of advisors who may be giving him misleading information. Vijayasai Reddy mentioned that only good news reaches Jagan, and if he does not change this, he may face challenges ahead.
He further claimed that access to Jagan is very controlled, with some people even having to pay bribes to meet him.
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ASI to Renovate Shahi Jama Masjid Following Court Order
On Thursday, a team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) visited the Shahi Jama Masjid to take measurements for upcoming renovation work. This decision comes after the Allahabad High Court instructed the ASI to finish whitewashing the mosque within a week.
Zafar Ali, the head of the Jama Masjid committee, told reporters that the ASI team was assessing what needed to be done and preparing a cost estimate. He said, “We are fully cooperating with the team, and everything is going well. Once they finish taking measurements and get approval, the painting work will start soon.”
Ali explained that if the approval comes on Thursday, painting might start right away. If not, since Holi is coming up, it will begin the day after the holiday. The mosque committee will supervise the painting under the ASI’s rules and guidance.
Earlier, the Allahabad High Court asked the ASI’s lawyer to explain what problems whitewashing the mosque might cause. The mosque committee’s lawyer, SFA Naqvi, pointed out that the ASI had not denied the request for whitewashing or outdoor lighting. He even showed colored photos showing that the mosque clearly needs a paint job.
Last November, riots broke out in Sambhal when locals protested a court-ordered survey of the Shahi Jama Masjid. They claimed the mosque was built on the ruins of a Hindu temple destroyed during the Mughal era. The protest turned violent, leading to clashes with the police that resulted in four deaths and many injuries.
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Puma Jobs Cut: Store Closures Due to Weak US Sales
Puma, the famous sportswear brand, announced on Wednesday that it will lay off 500 workers around the world and shut down some stores that are not making money. This decision comes as Puma faces problems with sales in the US, where people are not buying as much due to economic worries. The company’s shares dropped by 23% after it shared disappointing forecasts about its sales and profits.
Puma’s CEO, Arne Freundt, noted that many of their customers in the US are holding back on spending because they are worried about the economy. This news follows a weak report of quarterly sales and overall profits, raising fears about how well Puma can compete with bigger brands like Adidas and Nike, as well as newer brands like On Running and Hoka.
Moreover, about 10% of the shoes that Puma sells in the United States come from China, which now has new tariffs set by President Donald Trump. To deal with this, Puma is asking its suppliers to find other countries, like Indonesia, to produce their shoes.
Puma expects its sales to grow slowly this year, in the low to mid-single-digit range, compared to a 4.4% increase in 2024. Meanwhile, Adidas, one of Puma’s biggest competitors, is doing well and is taking a careful approach for 2025.
What worked for both Puma and Adidas last year were retro shoe styles that they brought back. Puma is planning to sell 4 million to 6 million pairs of its retro “Speedcat” sneakers, which are inspired by motor racing.
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Puma Cuts 500 Jobs Amid Weak US Sales
Puma, the sportswear company, announced on Wednesday that it will be cutting 500 jobs and closing some stores because US customers aren’t buying as much. This news came after Puma shared disappointing sales results, which caused its stock price to drop by 23%.
Puma’s CEO, Arne Freundt, explained that people in the US are worried about the economy and are spending less money. This bad news followed a report of weak sales and profit in January. It raised concerns about how Puma can compete against larger brands like Adidas and Nike, as well as newer brands like On Running and Hoka.
Additionally, Puma mentioned that about 10% of the shoes imported to the US come from China, which now face new tariffs set by former President Donald Trump. Because of this, Puma is asking suppliers to move production to other countries, like Indonesia.
The company estimates its sales will grow slowly this year, aiming for a low to mid-single-digit percentage increase, compared to a 4.4% growth in 2024. On the other hand, Adidas performed well in 2024 and is being careful about its plans for 2025.
One successful product for both Puma and Adidas last year was the revival of classic shoe designs. Puma confirmed that it still plans to sell between 4 to 6 million pairs of its popular “Speedcat” sneakers, inspired by motor racing.